It hurts to buy something and find the same item priced cheaper elsewhere. Nothing beats the feeling of scoring a good deal than realizing it could’ve been greater!

Cheer up though because you can move ahead with smart shopping know-hows. Sale and bargain hunting doesn’t have to mean daring a dusty pile of second half items just to find a cheap hippie dress. Here’s how you should do it.

1. Grab a coupon

This age, coupons are the shopper’s best friend simply because they’re so accessible! Group buying websites sell everything, from gadgets, fashion accessories, home items and collectibles. So subscribe to your choice of sites to not miss out on any cool deal. Price discounts from group buying sites soar as high as 70% off an item’s retail price since they follow activate sales through the wholesale model without burdening one buyer with the entire purchase. This is barkada shopping at its best!

2. Bigger is better

As a rule of thumb, if it’s a consumable item like makeup or skincare, it’s okay to buy in bigger bottles or packs. Perfect examples are shampoos and lotions which you use every day. Pay on the packaging less and maximize your spending for the actual product. However, for facial skincare try to be more conservative as you use these types of items in small “servings”

3. Dig deep into further reduction

If you don’t care about wearing last (even last, last) season’s trend, believe in the magic of further reduction. Unlike your regular mark-down sale, further reductions offer another level of discount. Pretty much, further reduction sales put items on sale on sale. ‘Nuff said.

4. Let the store compensate.

When buying luxury items like high-end perfume and makeup, always ask for a freebie–and no, don’t always settle for the puny perfume vial the sales associate would incline to offer. Go for gold. Ask about pouches or bag promos. These items are usually available upon request and commission associates tend to reserve these golden treats for their suki clients. For luxury makeup shoppers, maybe ask to try some available samples; especially if they have a corresponding skincare line. Not only will it be exciting for you to try out a new product from a brand you’re already using, these sample-sized items are really convenient for travel too!

5. Join the try-vertising movement.

Think grocery shopping is more fun with sample corners handing out free taste of hotdogs and chocolate drinks? All the more with beauty retail. The advent of try-advertrising led to the birth of beauty boxes and sample sites. These types of shopping channels give beauty lovers the chance to either get samples for free, or try a curated set of beauty items for a third of its retail price.

6. Where’s the warehouse?

Some brands hold warehouse sale events but these are not heavily advertised. The good thing though, these warehouse sale events follow an almost regular schedule. Expect them a lot around July or August when it’s “end of season” and September to October, when it’s “clearance” period paving way to the holidays.

7. Raid renovations.

The other thing? With bad store conditions come good discounts. When a store renovates, expect a renovation sale. This opens the net wide open since the items on sale don’t have to be out of style or expiring (Word of caution, always check a perishable item that’s on sale. It might be because it’s expiring soon! Eek!).

8. Subscribe, be a guest, register.

Any brand worth its online site should have an option to subscribe to a newsletter. Do so. Most brands announce sale events via email in advance. Get first dibs on mark down events when you join a newsletter. However, there are still those who do traditional guestbook to text blasts. This is great too because you won’t need an internet connection to be informed of promos. Flash sales? You can get those at the tip of your fingertips.

9. Keep your receipts.

Some boutiques offer exclusive membership only to members who acquire a certain amount of total purchases in a given time. These memberships are usually lifetime too so they’re worth the effort. Besides, you won’t spend a lot in a shop you don’t like so might as well entitle yourself to a lifetime of discounts from your favorite store.

10. Swipe responsibly.

Paying with plastic has a lot of perks, but you should also remember that not all cards offer the same treats. In every store, there are different card terminals. When you shop, ask about their card-exclusive treats such as zero interest or installment payment options. Swiping with a debit card? Try to keep yourself posted on rebate or treats per minimum amount purchase offers.

About the editor

I’m Noemi Lardizabal-Dado, a 56 year old mom, blogger, a homemaker, social media consultant, emerging media editor (Features) of the Philippine Online Chronicles, involved in advocacy and family recovery groups.